24 Hours In Copenhagen

Has vacation blues. Checks work schedule. See two days off. Grabs passport. Flies to Copenhagen. I think I have a problem - any excuse to go and explore.

Alas, 24 hours abroad can be done! mystupidtravelblog.com would know - my bestie shoots off across the world for just a weekend like every month. Alex, I blame you for this jetsetter bug!

So, Copenhagen; I thought I was a pretty cool girl until I came here. I mean wowee. This part of Scandinavia has cool oozing out of every independent coffee shop, every cobbled lane, every step a cool girl takes in her cool girl sneakers.

Below I’ve listed everything I could possibly squeeze into a day to experience this delightful city to capacity:

Stay - Hotel Alexandra. This hotel pays homage to Danish design and is so retro you almost feel transported to the ‘60’s. There’s also onsite bikes to rent, although I managed to walk the whole city twice.

Eat - Hotel Sanders. Hands down, the best fish I have ever eaten. The service is impeccable, as is of course the decor. Marble, woods, wicker, faux fur... I also brunched at Atelier September. Be as basic as you want here; the avocado toast is like no other. For you meat eaters, I heard Gasoline Grill makes the best burgers. And it’s an actual gas station turned eatery. Be prepared to queue though! For those ramen lovers, our friend owns Slurp Ramen!

Do - For those big kids, give Tivoli a go; the second oldest amusement park in the world! A 5 minute walk from the train station, it’s hard to miss. Kanalrundfart offers a wonderful water cruise through the canals, and an alternative view to the city. Værnedamsve is definitely worth a visit too; a cute busy Parisian inspired street with cool design and vintage shops and coffee spots. I also lost myself for a bit in the Design Museum and took away all kinds of inspo, from chairs to wall art. 

I don’t think I’ve written the word cool so much as I have here, but what you gunna do? Copenhagen is COOL.

Tulum Therapy

Mexico popped up on my wanderlust radar over the last year, when I kept seeing the word “Tulum” thrown around Instagram. Crystal blue waters, palm tree leaves and of course (my one true love) BURRITOS were tugging at my heart strings. I struggle in the winter; I feel the cold in my bones. So flying off to 30’C for 1.5 weeks of sun basking, meditation and pure healthy eating (and drinking Corona like it’s water) was just what the doctor ordered... really me self medicating myself.

I flew 11 hours to the Mexican-Caribbean east coast and drove a further two hours from Cancún to end up in deep downtown Tulum. Hotel Holistika came strongly recommended as a laid back, vegetarian, mindful retreat “where wonderful things are going on”. And it was so true. Nestled in the actual JUNGLE, you could fall asleep with your roof terrace doors wide open to the light sound of grasshoppers, and wake up to tropical birds chirping. An aciai bowl (served in handmade bowls with positive messages carved in the clay) set us up for a either a yoga class, meditation session or a gong ceremony. I’d never heard of a gong ceremony before, so I wouldn’t knock it until I tried it. Held in candle light in a shala, we were encouraged to lie down, close our eyes and let our minds and bodies unwind and surrender to the sound of gong bells and chimes played by a musician. It definitely takes you on a journey, and I felt very light and spaced out after the two hours. I may not delve into a ceremony again, but I totally get why some people release themselves to the therapeautic practise.

Tulum sits on an array of historical and natural wonders. We were spoilt for choice with cenotes (astonishingly beautiful under water caves) and Mayan ruins. Keep an eye out for iguanas, lizards and parrots too! Tulum and nearby Cobá boast insane ancient Mayan cities from AD600! And if you’re wanting to avoid the touristic crowds, I’d opt for a mini cenote like Calavera over the hugely popular Gran Cenote. Bikes here are as common as Amsterdam, and are found available to take out for free in most hotels and Air BnBs.

If you really want to treat yourself, Habitas is worth every penny for a stay. A super secluded, private beach retreat for members only, you can opt for a deluxe beach tent with the ocean lapping at your window, or a deluxe jungle tent the other side of the courtyard (where buckets of incense smoke all day and night). I’ve never stayed anywhere quite like it. From the personal check in with welcome refreshments served in recycled wine bottles sawn into glasses, and Habitas bracelets to wear for your stay, to the live concert sat under the stars on Persian style rugs and cushions and bats flying overhead, it was truly one of the most magical experiences of my life. I even googled “how to work for Habitas” - and I’m still wearing the bracelet.

And if Habitas is all booked up (it’s pretty expensive and very intimate), there’s always Nômade, the opposite end of the beach. Same vibe with the beach huts or jungle huts, just a lot more of them. A fun place to stay, but with less of a community spirit as it’s on a grander scale.

In a nutshell (or a coconut shell), I did not want to leave. No make up, no cares and pretty much no shoes or clothes for a near fortnight cleansed my soul. Everyone in Tulum rides the same wave of positivity and mindfulness; to appreciate our environment, our bodies and each other.

Name a better place to be; I’ll wait. And in the meantime I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. 

The Tick List

Going on one big vacation? Lots of little weekend breaks? Travelling for work? (You lucky thang).

Part of the vacay fun is the build up, the prep, the research and the planning. I’m by no means a pro at this, but I explore the globe enough and too organised for my own good to make a list of things to consider and make your escape / adventure that bit smoother.

• Once you’ve chosen your destination, sign up to SkyScanner notifications. You’ll get an email when flight prices inflate or go down. Side note: generally weekend flights are more spenny, so if you can, try to fly on a “business day”.
• Flying long haul? Sounds obvious, but check in online, or on the app, as soon as it opens. Otherwise you’ll be flying 12 hours next to the toilet with a middle seat. No ta. Also worth pre-ordering your flight meals so not to be disappointed. My vegan meal is always the first out and is super healthy. Insert smug face here. 
• Top Tip Alert: go to the Post Office, and apply for a travel card. It’s a game changer. Transfer money from your bank account via the app, and use it for all your spending abroad for no nasty unexpected international charges. That dough adds up.
• Download films and series on your phone on Netflix, or a few podcasts, and bring a portable charger. Trust me, I’ve drained my battery (from no great plane films) and then been screwed by no working USB charge point. Cue spending ages at the airport trying to find a place to charge my phone and wasting an extra half hour. 
• Use the Instagram stories and geo tag tool a few days before travelling to gauge the temperature and weather. Your outfit choices will thank you. It’s also a true dictation to how edited a destination / hotel / restaurant is or not. 
• I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Hotel Tonight is your best friend.
• Look into maybe getting public transport to your accommodation. It’s much cheaper and a great way to act like a local. Failing that, hoidaytaxis.com are very cheap and offer coaches and taxis (hate to say it, but local taxis will take your money’s worth). And there’s always Uber Pool to be more eco. 

And there we have it. Now where’s my passport? 

29 | LA

I think I may have waited my whole life to be able to say “yeah I’ve been to LA”. I grew up reading Sweet Valley High books, watching MTV’s “The Hills”, crushing on Justin Bobby and wanting to be that girl on the back of his motorbike. And as an adult needing constant heat and sunshine, and riding that health wave of pescatarianism and vinyasa yoga. I also grew up on a beach, and having lived the city life for a near decade now, I was craving the Californian dream. I’m currently living a life of “why not” and “if not now, when”, so what better way to spend the last birthday of my twenties than going where I’ve always wanted to go (also anywhere with a lobster roll and I’m a smitten kitten).

So naturally I kick started vacay by going to Disneyland on my birthday, because why wouldn’t you? I’d never been before, but also seemed to forget my pure terror of rides. Advice? You’re never ever going to do Disneyland in one day, not even a weekend. Now I totally understand why there’s an abundance of hotels on site. I won’t exaggerate, the queues for each ride averaged a minimum of two hours, so I’d research which rides are priority to you and grab a fast track ticket which gives you an allocated time to come back and jump the queue. Life hack! It was the best day escaping the reality of being an adult and just living in a world of pure happiness whichever direction you turned. And damn straight I wore a princess crown all day. 

We drove from Anaheim to Laguna Beach that evening, and once again Hotel Tonight pulled through for us with a cute easy breezy room on the shore. Cue the biggest thunder and lightening storm LA has seen in tiiiiime (honestly years, the news harped on about it for days). We watched it roll in sat on the sand in the rain, the night sky flashing all shades of angry purple. It was perfect.

The thing with LA is you need to be prepared to drive everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Also traffic is no joke here, so plan your trips accordingly. 

So we drove the “green machine” (or “green dragon”, but I refuse to call it that. Eye roll) back to base camp Santa Monica and explored the neighbouring Venice Beach to spy on those famous skater boys and back to Santa Monica pier for the arcade games at sunset. And let me tell you, there is nothing like a candyfloss LA sunset... 

A family hike up a mountain in Malibu followed over the next few days, as did a classic drive through Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Naturally we ended up at The Beverly Hills Hotel, dropping the green machine off with the Ferraris, Lambos and Porches, and ate the most expensive tofu salad of my life. But hey, at least I dined like Elizabeth Taylor sat in the flamingo pink pool side restaurant amongst palm trees for an afternoon. And yes, I stole the check pen.

Oof and how could a personal shopper forget the ultimate shoppers dream that is Abbot Kinney. After a brief hello at my beloved Habitas, I lost myself in a world of linens, leathers, denims and vintage. Dubbed the coolest boulevard in America, you’ll also find my favourites “The Butchers Daughter” and “Blue Star Donuts” to boost energy levels.

It was an overwhelming yet strangely familiar feeling being in LA - somewhere I daydreamed being and then was suddenly living. But that’s my mantra; stop daydreaming, start living. Cos I mean I got Joshua Tree to hit up, Silverlake, Big Sur...